Internal combustion engine



AprilZO, 1943. w. s. TABER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May '7, 1941. 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNEI! ATTOR N EYS April 20, 1943. w. s. -TABER 2.3175154 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 7, 41941 'r sheets-sheet z ATTORNEYS WITNESS w.' s TA'BER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE April 2o, 1943.,

Filed Hay 7, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 TOR EYS

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pril 20, 1943.

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- INvEN 0R ATTORNEYS WITNESS April 20, 1943. w. s. TABER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 7. 1941 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Apri12o,'1943. w. s. TABER 2,311,154

INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE Filed may '7. 1941 v sheets-sheet e O g ffy. 6. ,7% 9, /w/r-A/e 1 B4/wr N22 @la EN( 93 @Il /w/r N94 INVENTOR l WITNESS ATTORNEYS April 20, 1943.

W. S. TABER 2,317,154 INTERNAL coMBUsTIoN ENGINE Filed Nay 7, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 ATTORN EYS Patented Apr. 20, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE rNrERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Walter S. Taber, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii Application May 7, 1941, Serial No. 392,353

(Cl. i4- 51) 3 Claims.

My invention relates to internal combustion engines, and .has among its objects andadvantages the provision of an improved airplane enginedesigned to facilitate incorporation of a relatively large number ot' cylinders in the engine, with the cylinders so arrangedV as to provide an exceptionally compact and small engine' having a large horse-power rating, together with novel operatingconnections between the pistons and the crankshaft. The engine also embodies novel rotary exhaust valves and fuel injection means, together with novel facilities for varying the amount' of fuel injected into the respective cylinders.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of an engine in accordance with myinvention;

Figure 2 isa transverse sectional View;r

Figure-3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of Figurefl;

Figure4 is a sectional detail view of one of the controls for varying the amount of fuel injected intoa cylinder;

Figure 5 is an end view of the engine crankcase illustrating the arrangement of the spark plugs and the actuating meansior the series of controldevices such as that illustrated'in Figure4;

Figure 6 isa diagrammatic plan View iliustrating the-radial engine flattened for the purpose o f `showing the grouping of the cylinders in four banks of seven cylinders in each bank;

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the arrangement ofthe connecting rods of all the cylinders, as when viewed from the power takeoff end of the crankshaft;v

Figure 8y is a diagrammatic View illustrating the radial arrangement of the cylinders in the first bank;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the arrangement of the cylinders in the second bank;

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the arrangement of the cylinders in the third bank:

camshaft -driving mechanism; and

Figure 13 is an end elevational View of the engine crankcase with certainv parts broken away for the purpose of illustratingthe lcamshaft driving mechanism of Figure 12.

Infthe embodiment selected to illustrate myktwo axially aligned pivot rods 32.

invention, Fig. 1 illustrates a crankshaft 20 rotatably supported in a central bearing 2| and end bearings 22` and 23 respectively secured to end plates 24 and 25 boltedH at 26'to the crankcase 2l. The crankshaft includes tWo cranks28, the crankpins 29` of which are arranged in axial alignment, as in Fig. 1

Upon each of' the' `crankpins. 23 is 'mounted a spider 30", which spidersare rotatably supported thereon throughthe mediur'n'of bearing assemblies 3I. Eachspider 30 carriesseven pvot rods 32 Which are equally spaced'one from the other and concentrically arranged about the axis of their respective'crankpin` 29. The pivot rods 32 of each spideris axially aligned with the pivot rodsvof the' other' spider. Projections 33 are formed on the 'spiders '30 intermediate their ends'and provided with bores 33 for the reception ofthev pivot rods, which pivot rods are made secure by' key pins 35;

At each end of each spider 33 is fashioned two spaced flanges' 36, which flanges are boredfor the reception'of the'pivot rods 32. Two connecting rods 31 havebearing connections 38 with each of'thejpivot rods 3 2, which' bearing connections arelocated between the flanges 36. Accordingly, there is a. total of twenty-eight connecting rods 31,' each connected with a piston 38, as illustrated in Fig; 2, and each piston operates in an individual 'cylinder 39 mounted Vabout the crankcase/Z'l. Thus there are four banks iii), 4l, 42 and 43 arrangedV c ircumferentially about the axisof the crankshaft 2l),r and there are seven cylindersin; eachjbank, asillustrated in Fig. 6.

InFig. 6, Vthe cylinders 39 are also arranged in-straig'ht rows-4 4Which are arranged at an angle to the crankshaft axisfl, as indicated by the lines fili.` In other Words, the cylinders might -be [said tofbe'spira'lly arranged about the vaxis'of the crankshaft. Figs. 8 through 11 illustrate the degree'of spiral alignment of the banks of cylinders 4D 'through i3 with respect to' a common plane 4l through the axis of the crankshaft 20;

Fig. 7 `illustratesall the connecting rodsr 3T in association with the pivot rods 32 and their respective 'Wrist'pins 48.` This view also illustrates the manner inwhichtheconnecting rods 31 are also grouped in numbers of four about each of The axes of the cylinders 39 areindicated by the radial lines 49 which are equally spaced and'diverge from the-axis 45ofv the crankshaft. While the axes 49 radiate from the axis 45, each group of four con,- necting rodsA 31 connected with two axially aligned pivot rods 32 is arranged in tangential alignment with respect to the circle 5| passing through the axes of the pivot rods 32. Crankshaft rotates in the direction of the arrow 52. For the sake of convenience, the connecting rods 31 of Fig. 7 associated with the banks of cylinders through 43 of Fig. 6 are respectively numbered 40 through 43.

The cylinders 39 in each row 44 fire in succession, and the order in which the respective rows 44 is red is indicated by the numerals I through 1 in Fig. 6, with the numerals arranged to represent two successive revolutions of the crankshaft 20.

In Fig. 1, a master rod link 53 is provided for each of the spiders 30, the lengths of the links being more clearly shown by the one link illustrated in Fig. 2. The links are identical in construction and operation. According to Fig. 1, each spider is provided with two spaced lugs 54 which carries a bearing pin 55, and the master rod links 53 each has an end positioned between two of the flanges and pivotally connected with one of the bearing pins 55. The opposite ends of the bearing pins are pivotally connected with pins 56 secured to lugs 51 which may be cast integrally with the case 21. Rotation of the crankshaft 28 causes the master rod links 53 to oscillate about the coaxial axes of the pins 56 so that the pins connecting the links with the spiders 30 will oscillate in accordance with the arc 53.

Each of the cylinders 39 is provided with an exhaust port 59 having communication with a bore 60 having its axis paralleling the axis of its respective cylinder. Bore 69 has communication' with the combustion chamber 6| through the medium of a passage 52. Rotatably disposed in each of the bores 60 is anV exhaust valve 83 which is provided with an axial bore 64 communicating with the exhaust port 59 and with the passage 62 through the medium of a side opening 65. Each exhaust' valve 63 is connected with a drive shaft 66, which drive shaft also has its axis parallelingV the' axis of 'its respective cylinder. Bearings 61 coactwith the bores 60 to rotatably support and guide the respective exhaust valves and drive shafts' 65. Y

Each cylinder 39 is also "provided with a fuel injection device 68 having lcommunication with air and fuel conduits 69 and 10,' respectively. Fuel injection devices 68 may be ofvany suitable design. Suice it to say that the fuel is injected by'a plunger, and means are provided in the instant case for variably actuatingsuch plungers. For this purpose, and also forthe purpose of rotating the exhaust valves 643 seven camshafts 1| are provided, which camshafts are arranged concentrically about the axis 45, see Fig.,2, and are located at the bases of the cylinders 39.` Each cylinder has an exhaust valve 63 `on. one side and a fuel injection device 68 located on the diametrically opposite side, and the respective exhaust valves and fuel injection devices arel arranged on the same sides of their respective cylinders. According to Fig. 2, the exhaust valve of each cylinder is operatively connectedwith the camshaft 1| which operates the fuel injection device 68 of the next cylinder when viewing the arrangement thereof in a clockwise direction. In view of the spiral arrangement of the cylinder rows 44, the camshafts V1| have theiraxes aligned inraccordance with the lines 48 -of Fig. f6. Since all the camshafts are identicalin `construction and operation, the description of one will apply to all.

Fig. l has been sectioned through the lower Wall of the case 21 at an angle to expose the full length of one of the camshafts 1|. The case 21 is bored at 12 for accommodating the camshaft 1|, and the latter is supported by bearings 13 arranged at suitable intervals inside the bore 12 and secured against displacement by means of set screws 14. Onebearing 15 is threaded into the bore 12 at one end thereof, and the end plate 25 is bored so that one end of the camshaft may extend to a position exteriorly of the crankcase for connection with a driving pinion 16 keyed to the camshaft, as best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 12. Rotary motion of the camshaft 1| imparts rotary motion to the four drive shafts 66 through the medium of bevel gears 11 keyed to the camshaft and bevel gears 19 keyed to the drive shafts 66. There are four drive shafts 65 operatively connected With each of the camshafts 1|.

In Fig. 1, four plunger rods 19 are associated with the camshaft 1|. These rods may be slidably guided by tubular guides BD, and each plunger rod is provided with a roller 8| for coaction with a lcam device 82 keyed to the camshaft for rotation therewith but arranged for relative axial movement thereon. There are four cam devices 82 for each of the camshafts 1| v Fig. 4 illustrates one of the cam devices 82 and, since all are identical in construction and operation, the description of one Will'apply to all. Camshaft 1| is hollow for slidably supporting a cam adjusting rod 83. The cam device 82 is in the nature of a sleeve slidably mounted on the camshaft 1| and provided with four circumferential grooves 84 for guiding the roller 8|, with the cam provided with a tapering body 85 properly aligned'so as to secure four different throws to the end that the plunger rod 19 may be actuated to deliver variable amounts of fuel to the cylinder, depending upon the position of the cam axially of the camshaft.

In Fig. 4, the cam device 82 is situated in the extreme position which imparts the least thrust action to the plunger rod 19. Movement of the cam device 82 to the left, as when viewing Fig. 4, brings the next throw into operative alignment with the roller 8| for increasing the thrust action of the plunger rod.V The cam device may be moved in stages, andthe gentle angularity of the grooves 84 and the curvature of the `roller 8| facilitate sliding of the cam device relatively to the roller. y

A slot 86 is provided in the camshaft 1| vfor passage of a screw 81 which connects the cam device 82 with the cam adjusting shaft 83. The screw 81 has a threaded shank 88 threaded into the transverse bore 89 in the rod 83. As previously suggested, the cam shaft 1| is provided with a total of four slots 88 so as to provide accommodation for the screws 81 which connect the respective cam devices B2 with the shaft. Relative axial movement of the shaft 83 inside the camshaft 1| is secured through the medium of pins 90 which project radially from a 'collar 9| mounted loosely on a neck 92 fashioned coaxially of one end of the cam control-shaft 83. Collar 9| is held in position on the neck 92 by a retaining washer 93 and a bolt 94 passing through the retaining washer and threaded into the neck 92. .Y

. Onelen'd of the'fcamshaft 1| V'abuts Van 'endwall 65V of a sleeve 96 havinga bore 91 through which the cam actuating rod 83 slidably extends, which sleeve has one end fitting in a bore 98 im a boss S9 formed on the end plate 24, with the boss pressed into the bore 12 and xedly secured to the sleeve 96 by set screws |00 `threaded into the boss and provided With pins |02 which extend through openings in the sleeve 66 and intoa circumferential groove |03 in an inner sleeve |64 which fits snugly inside the sleeve 96 but may be rotated relatively thereto. lThe pins 90 extendv through' spiral slots |05 in the inner sleeve |64 and into grooves |06 extending longitudinally of the sleeve 96 in its inner Wall. Thus rotation of the inner sleeve |04 will impart longitudinal motion to the cam actuating shaft B3, since the collar 9| is mountedloosely on the neck 92 of the shaft andthe pins 90 are restrained from rotary motion by reason of the grooves |66.

Means for rotating the cam actuating shaft 83 through the medium of rotary motion imparted to the inner sleeve |04 comprises a pinion |01 keyed to a shaft |06 formed integrally with the inner sleeve |64. End plate 24 is provided with a circular groove |66 for partly housing a ring gear H6. This ring gear is best illustrated in Fig. 5. Bolts are threaded into the end plate 24 and extend through slots ||2 in the ring gear, which slots are arranged concentrically of the axis of the ring gear, and the heads of the bolts hold the ring gear against the bottom face of the groove |09, but the ring gear may be oscillated about its axis a distance corresponding to the length of the slots ||2.

Each camshaft 1| is constructed identically with the structure of Fig. 4, so that there are seven pinions |61 meshing with the ring gear ||0, and the pinions |61 are partly housed in recesses ||3 opening into the circular groove |66. Oscillation of the ring gear |10 imparts similar motion to the inner sleeve |04 which in turn imparts longitudinal motion to the shaft 83 but the shaft may rotate as a unit with the camshaft 1| because of the loose connection between the neck 62 and the collar 9|.

vRotation of the ring gear is accomplished through the medium of a sprocket ||4 rotatably mounted on the end plate 24 and xedly connected with a pinion ||5 which meshes with the ring gear ||0. A chain ||6 is connected with the sprocket ||4 for imparting rotation thereto, and the chain may be actuated through any suitable means (not shown), as for example, a manually actuated sprocket located in a convenient position to be readily accessible by the operator of the engine.

In Figs. 3 and 1, each of the pinions 16 is in mesh with a gear |1 fashioned with an internal ring gear H8, both of which are concentrically arranged with respect to the axis 45. In Figs. 1 and 12 in particular, the ring gear ||1 is housed between the outer face of the end plate 25 and a gear housing plate H3, with the ring gear provided with circular flanges fitting in grooves |2| in the two plates. Grooves |2| and the flanges |20 coact to maintain the gear ||1 concentrically about the axis 45 but permit rotation of the gear to turn the pinions 16. Gear housing plate H6 is made secure by the bolts 26.

Internal ring gear |8 meshes with an external ring gear |22 mounted on a bearing |23 mounted on a sleeve-like member |24 keyed to the crankshaft 26. A second bearing |25 is mounted on thesleeve-like member |24, which bearing carries ani external ring gear |26. A series of pins |21 is securedto the ring gear |26, and each pin is provided with a roller IZB-which is in engagement with the peripheral face of a bore |29 in the external ring gear |22. Bores |29v are considerably larger in diameter than the rollers |28.

Sleeve member |24 is fashioned with an eccentric |30 of somewhat larger diameter than the eccentric |3| also fashioned on the sleeve-like member. Bearing |23 is mounted on the eccentric |30 while the bearing |25 is mounted on the eccentric |3|, the two eccentric throws. having a common alignment, as moreillustrated by the arrangement of the bearings |23 and |25 in Fig. 13. Ring gear |26 meshes with an internal ring gear |32 bolted at |33 to the gear housing plate H9. Internal ring' gear |32 isA concentrically positioned with respect to the axis 45.

Since the gears |22 and |26 are eccentrically arranged with respect to their meshing gears ||v and |32, respectively, the two latter` being concentrically positionedwithvrespect to the axis 45, rotationof the crank shaft 20 will impart-a rolling motion to the gears |22 and |26 as they rotate. The relative ratios of the gears are such as to turn the camshaft 1| in proper timed relation with the crankshaft. The openings |29 in the gear |22v are of such diameter as to permit the gear to roll in mesh engagement with the internal ring gear H8, which rolling and rotary motion is imparted to the gear |22 by reason of the rollers |28 carried by the gear |26.

According to Fig. 1, a pinion |34 is secured to the crankshaft 20 and meshes with a gear |35 fixed to the power take-off shaft |36, on which the propeller (not shown) is mounted.

A housing |31 is secured to the end plate 24 by bolts |38, and the housing serves as a mount for the current distributing terminals |39 which are connected with the spark plugs |46 carried by the cylinders 39.

In the twenty-eight cylinder job illustrated, the internal ring gear I6 may have eighty teeth, the gear |22 seventy-five teeth, the external ring gear |26 forty-seven teeth and the gear |32 ftysix teeth. The driving connection between the crankshaft 26 and the pinions 16 constitutes an epicyclic gear train through the medium of which the necessary gear reduction is readily attained. The gear ||1 is rotated in the same direction as the crankshaft 20 at a speed ratio of 1 to 14, and the number of teeth in the gear |11 and the pinions 16 are easily determined when once the speed ratio is known. The epicyclic gear train provides a speed translating mechanism of exceptionallysimple and durable structure.

The gear |34 has a speed ratio of 2 to 1 with respect to the power take-off shaft |36.

Having thus described certain embodiments of my invention in detail, it is, of course, understood that I do not desire to limit the scope thereof to the exact details set forth except insofar as those details may be defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, having a crank shaft, a tubular member adapted for rotary mounting on the crank pin of the shaft, a pair of annular axially spaced flanges on the exterior of the said member at each end, the said flanges having aligned bores at circumferentially spaced intervals, a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections on the exterior of the tubular member intermediate its ends, each projection having a bore therethrough axially of the member, and a pivot rod extending through the aligned 11a-nge and projection bores with its end portions ex tending through the bores of the pair of anges at each end and its center portion extending through the bore of the projection.

2. In an internal combustion engine, having a crankshaft, a tubular member adapted for rotary mounting on the crank pin of the shaft, a pair of armular axially spaced flanges on the exterior of the said member at each end, the said flanges having aligned bores at circumferentially spaced intervals, a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections on the exterior of the tubular member intermediate its ends, each projection having a bore therethrough axially of the member, a pivot rod extending through the bore of each projection and the bores in the end anges in alignment therewith, the said rod having a transverse bore through its center portion aligning with transverse bores in each projection, and a key pin extending through the said transverse bores to secure each pivot rod against axial displacement.

3. In an internal combustion engine, having a crank shaft, a tubular member adapted for rotary mounting on the crank pin of the shaft, a pair of annular axially spaced llanges on the exterior of the said member at each end, the said ilanges having aligned bores at circumferentially spaced intervals, a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections on the exterior of the tubular member intermediate its ends, each projection having a bore therethrough axially of the member, a pvot rod extending through the bore of each projection and the bores in theendilanges yin alignment therewith, the said l rod having a transverse bore through its center portion align` ing with transverse bores in each projection, a key pin extending through the 'said transverse bores to secure each pivot rod against axial dis",- placement, a pair of spaced lugs on the intermediate portion of the tubular member, and a link having one end pivotally connected to ythe said lugs and its opposite end adapted for pivot fastening to the engine casing.

WALTER s.. TABER. 

